Top marks for Chippenham Pit Stop with Park Mark Freight award
Chippenham Pit Stop receives Park Mark Freight award having demonstrated the highest standards across their operations
Park Mark Freight is a new and comprehensive assessment managed by Police Crime Prevention Initiatives and the British Parking Association that seeks to enhance the highest quality of today’s lorry parks and facilities in services and operations. The extension of Safer Parking to truck stops and lorry parks meets a growing demand for efficient, well-managed and high-quality lorry parks and truck stops in order to combat vehicle and cargo crime.
To be granted Park Mark Freight, a parking facility must demonstrate a wide range of responsibilities, which includes low crime, measures in place to enhance the safety of people and vehicles, good management and operations, and exemplary customer service. Facilities are subject to an annual assessment to ensure these high standards are maintained.
Managing Director of Chippenham Pit Stop, David Hatherell, said: “We recognise that one of the most basic human needs is to feel safe, particularly when you are asleep, so we have made significant investments in staff, CCTV and other measures to make our premises unattractive to would-be criminals, and therefore a safe haven for tired lorry drivers at the end of a long day. We are delighted to be one of the first truck stops in the UK to be accredited Park Mark Freight and will be proud to display our certificate. I would like to take the opportunity to give special thanks to the members of our security team who stay up all night and patrol the lorry park in all weathers, without whom we would not justify this award.”
Chas Cannon, BPA Area Manager said: “I am delighted that Chippenham Pit Stop has become the first site in the South West to achieve the Park Mark Freight award. It demonstrates their hard work and commitment to provide a safe environment for all users.”
Amanda Clarke, Designing Out Crime Officer, said “Chippenham Pit Stop has everything an HGV driver could ask for including 24 hr staff on-site, CCTV, and good lighting. The additional services provided mean that drivers on long journeys can rest on site, safe and secure whilst they sleep or use the services provided, and I’m really pleased to be able to give them this award as it recognises the investment that has been made in upgrading security on site.”
Park Mark Freight builds upon the Safer Parking Scheme’s Park Mark® Award by introducing essential criteria. The Park Mark® is primarily aimed at the prevention of criminal behaviour within the parking environment and requires owners/operators to adopt an active management strategy to ensure that there is minimal occurrence of crime. The freight industry experiences a high volume of cargo theft and the main Safer Parking Scheme Assessment Guidelines do not explicitly cover this type of business.
For more information visit www.britishparking.co.uk/park-mark-freight
Image above: Left to right:
- Amanda Clarke - Wiltshire Police Designing out Crime Officer and Assessor
- David Hatherell – Managing Director, Chippenham Truck Stop
- Lee Fenn – Site Manager, Chippenham Truck Stop
- Chas Cannon BPA Area Manage
Notes to editors
1) The BPA is a not-for-profit membership association. We work collaboratively with our members and stakeholders so they can support their local communities by providing the parking services they need, and improving compliance with parking rules and regulations.
2) The Safer Parking Scheme is a national standard for UK car parks that have low crime and measures in place to ensure the safety of people and vehicles. A Park Mark is awarded to each car park that achieves the challenging standards. The distinctive Park Mark signage helps drivers find car parks where they can confidently leave their vehicle, knowing the environment is safer
3) The BPA manages the Safer Parking Scheme on behalf of Police Crime Prevention Initiatives Ltd (Police-CPI) and with support from the Home Office and the Scottish Government. Nine Area Managers are employed by the BPA to actively promote and manage the scheme throughout the UK
4) Police Crime Prevention Initiatives Ltd owns the police element of the project. Police CPI works alongside Police Scotland and the Police Service of Northern Ireland to deliver the police element of the Safer Bus Station Scheme.
5) Details of the Safer Bus Station Scheme and Police CPI can be found at: www.britishparking.co.uk and www.securedbydesign.com